


That 'Friendship' Thing

by zuzulord



Series: thanks, buddy [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, M/M, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, excessive use of the word buddy, he's never had friends before leave him alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26403190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zuzulord/pseuds/zuzulord
Summary: "You said you needed something?" Aang asks."Yes. I request- I mean, I need- well," Zuko fumbles, suddenly realising that there is no way of asking for friendship without seeming either desperate or pathetic. Or worse, both."You need... ?" Aang encourages."A friend," Zuko blurts out.[or, Zuko learns what it means to have friends]
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: thanks, buddy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1919005
Comments: 40
Kudos: 489





	That 'Friendship' Thing

Zuko has never had friends before.

Well, he has, but also not really.

If he reflects on his past 'friends' in life, he'd describe them more as people he was acquainted with by association or proximity. He's never particularly liked them per say; the only thing he genuinely liked about them was how they made him forget how lonely he was.

(In other words, he didn't care about them at all.)

He's never been around people his own age long enough to understand what friends actually do. He assumes there's supposed to be pleasant conversations involved, but what goes beyond that?

Zuko's sixteen years old and he's never had a single friend in his life, and he'd by lying if he said he didn't want one.

* * *

Zuko leans against the front doors of the Western Air Temple watching as Sokka and Katara argue over who will take first shift in the night watch, with both of them wanting it so they can sleep later.

Toph is sitting on the ground between them, letting out an ' _ooh_ ' when one of them makes a good comeback. Aang is on the side, trying - and failing - to distract them by waving Momo in the air, pretending that the lemur is an airbender as well.

He's learned long ago that the group does't interact with each other in the same manner as Azula, Mai, and Ty, but perhaps this is the norm for Team Avatar (or 'the Gaang' Sokka had once insisted on calling them').

Maybe it's just another friend thing he doesn't understand.

 _Friendships are a weird fucking concept_ , Zuko concludes, observing as Toph yells out ' _ooh, burn!'_ to the face of an embarrassed Sokka.

Friends make absolutely no sense to him; they're more trouble than they're worth and a clumsy mess of caring too much for someone else - and he wants in.

But first and foremost, he needs a game plan.

He excuses himself (though nobody really notices him go except for Aang), and proceeds to spend the entire night determining The Ultimate Friendship Scheme.

* * *

Obviously, the top priority in Zuko's plan is to befriend the Avatar.

Aang is the one to thank for letting Zuko in the group in the first place. He was the one who allowed him to redeem himself.

He's also the least terrifying of the group, so Zuko decides to work his way up from there.

According to his Friendship Plan, if everything goes by without a hitch, Aang should start seeing him as an amicable choice before the comet arrives. All he needs to do is plant the seed of friendship into the other boy's mind, and let it blossom like a flower.

As Zuko awaits Aang's arrival to their next firebending lesson, he finds that he can't stay still. His leg twitches every so often with nerves, and his palms are sweating so much that he has to wipe them dry on the side of his pants.

This is his first real attempt at camaraderie and he _can't_ screw this up.

He sits on the ground cross legged in a poor effort to calm himself through meditation, but the moment he thinks of Aang refusing his friendship, he accidentally sets a bush on fire.

"Sorry!" Zuko calls out to a startled lop-eared bunny scurrying away from the shrubbey.

It turns back to give him a look as though telling him, ' _You're a real piece of shit, you know that?_ ' and retreats into the woods.

Great. Even animals hate him.

"Flameo, Sifu Hotman!" A familiar cheery voice calls out from behind him, and he stands.

Aang jumps into view - literally jumps, because apparently the avatar likes to make his life as abnormal as possible - and grins up at Zuko with a salute.

The monk does a double take at the burning bush.

"Woah, cool!" Aang exclaims, breaking his salute to point at the fire. "Can you teach me that, too?"

"No," Zuko says, because the last thing the world needs is the Avatar setting bushes on fire.

"C'mon, Sifu Hotman, please!" Aang brings his two fists under his chin with a pout.

Zuko cringes inwardly at the title, but he can recognize an opportunity when he sees one, and this was the chance to get on the other boy's good side.

He sighs in resignation, already imagining the amount of pleading he'd be subjecting to if he says no.

"Alright," He says. "But I need a favour in return."

"Anything," Aang salutes once more. Then he glances both ways, hides his mouth behind his palm, and whispers conspiratorially. "Is this about Sokka?"

Zuko furrows his brows.

"One, there's no one else here. Why are you whispering? And two, why would this be about Sokka?" Zuko asks, the will to befriend this boy dwindling by the second.

Aang's eyes widen like he's made a terrible mistake and he scratches the back of his head.

"Oh, _haha._ I dunno." Aang lies.

The air nomad chuckles nervously and twiddles his thumbs in the way which Zuko has discovered means he's searching for a reason to change the subject.

"Oh, right! You said you need something?" Aang asks with way too much enthusiasm, even for himself.

"Yes. I request- I mean, I need- well," Zuko fumbles for the words, suddenly realising that there is no way of asking for friendship without seeming either desperate or pathetic. Or worse, both.

Zuko's mouth opens and closes like a koi fish out of water as he struggles to get a sentence out of his mouth, and Aang watches him flounder, the latter growing more concerned as Zuko fails to say a word.

"You need..." Aang encourages, leaning in closer, like he's a parent inspecting their sick child.

"A friend," Zuko blurts out and slaps a palm to his forehead, leaving a distinctive red hand shaped mark that he knows will eventually lead to a horrible bruise.

_Stupid!_

Aang's jaw drops and he stares at Zuko in awe. The look is quickly replaced by one of pure joy.

"Sure thing, buddy!" Aang grins and wraps both arms tightly around Zuko's middle.

"This awesome! Now we both have a new friend. And I can help you get even more!"

"That'd be nice," Zuko says airily, ignoring the fact that he's been called out of his lack of comrades, because _holy hell_.

He has a new friend. The Avatar, of all people, has agreed to be his friend, and wants to help him make more. And all he had to do was ask.

_What the heck._

"Huh," He mutters to himself, instinctively hugging Aang back. Maybe this would be simpler than he thought.

* * *

"Pardon the interruption, Sifu Hotman, but can I give you some friendly advice? Y'know, pal to pal?"

Sigh. "Sure."

"You should use 'pal' and 'buddy' more - that'll get you tons of friends!"

"Aang?"

"Yeah, pal?"

"... Thanks for the advice. Pal."

* * *

At some point during the lesson, Sokka had arrived for his daily entertainment of watching them firebend.

When Aang and Zuko finish training, the latter approaches him. Sokka looks up at Zuko from where he's drawing a picture in the dirt with his finger.

"Can I ask you something?" Sokka asks at the same time Zuko asks,

"Can you come get firewood with me?"

"Oh, sorry. You go first," Sokka says.

"Katara asked me to get firewood after my lesson with Aang, but I don't think I can carry it all by myself. You in?"

"Sure thing." Sokka readily agrees. 

"You were saying something?"

A throat clears in an unsubtle manner from somewhere behind Sokka, and Zuko looks to find Aang gazing at him with a serious expression that doesn't suit his face.

_Oh, right._

"Buddy," Zuko adds, for good measure.

Aang grins and gives him two thumbs up, before presumably heading back to camp. To Zuko's dismay, when he looks back to Sokka, the boy's face has fallen into a frown.

"Buddy?" Sokka repeats.

"Pal," Zuko tries instead, in case Sokka has a preference.

"Pal?" Sokka repeats once more, and Zuko starts to frown as well.

"Forget it. What were you trying to say?" Zuko asks.

Sokka shakes his head and stands, brushing off the dirt on his pants.

"Nevermind. Save it for later, _pal,_ " Sokka says, walking past him without sparing him so much as a glance.

Zuko sighs, shoulders slumping in defeat as he watches Sokka's retreating form. Maybe Sokka wouldn't be as easy to befriend as Aang.

* * *

"Flameo, Sifu Hotman! How goes it?"

"Hi Aang, everything's just peachy; can I give _you_ some friendly advice?"

"Righteo, pal!" 

"Don't call me Sifu Hotman."

"You got it, Sifu Buddy!"

* * *

Zuko stands with his back pressed up against the wall of the Western Air Temple. 

In his head, he mentally goes over the next part of the Friendship Plan that he spend hours last night laying out.

This next part was, in his opinion, as important as the one with Aang. Zuko's remade this one over and over again because no matter how many times he goes through it, it's never good enough.

But this has to be done, and it has to be done _perfect_.

Slowly, Zuko peers around the corner of the temple and spots his target.

His future friend. His prospective pal.

It's now or never.

Hair put together? Check.

Smells good?

Gift ready? Check.

And with the checklist all set, Zuko was ready. He walks out from his hiding place and stands right before his future friend.

"Hello, Appa," Zuko greets the bison with a curt bow. Appa is currently chomping down on some hay for lunch.

Appa exhales out of his nose as he pauses his meal to give Zuko his regards. The bison grunts, tilting his head in an almost curious fashion.

"I- uh, heard you like cabbages. So I brought some. Well, one. For you," Zuko says, bringing out a cabbage from behind him.

Appa opens his mouth wide and Zuko stares at his giant teeth for a moment, before realising that the bison is expecting him to throw the cabbage in his mouth. He tosses it without hesitation.

Appa chews on the leafy greens with noisy crunches. Zuko holds his breath as he waits for the bison's final judgement.

When the bison finally swallows, he pauses for another moment and stares at Zuko with his eyes unblinking. Not wanting to accidentally disrespect bison customs, Zuko stares back, also unblinking.

And then, Appa gives him a giant lick from head to toe, covering Zuko with slimy bison saliva.

It's filthy and undignified by all means; it'll take hours of vigorous scrubbing just to get rid of the stench clinging onto his robes. 

It's just the response Zuko was hoping for.

He sighs in relief, wiping the beads of sweat that have begun to form at his forehead. Appa licks him once more.

"Thanks, buddy."

* * *

"I got you another cabbage, Appa."

_Liiiick._

"Is there any chance you could be more careful with that?"

A softer _lick_.

"Careful."

_Lick?  
_

"We'll work on it, pal."

* * *

Sokka searches for Zuko a while later with the full intention to tell him what he was going to say earlier, but stops in his tracks at the sight of the boy giving commands to Appa as the bison licks his tongue in the air.

_What the -_

"Sokka!" Aang calls. He points to Momo. "Momo learned a new trick!"

Sokka gives Zuko one last forlorn glance. _Save it for later, then._

The lemur chitters when he sees Sokka heading his way.

* * *

"See you later, Appa."

A tongue is stuck out. _Poke._

"Goodnight to you too, bud."

* * *

Truth be told, Zuko isn't the biggest fan of small, fuzzy creatures. (No, turtleducks do not count.)

(Turtleducks are cute, thank you very much.)

The Avatar's little lemur friend, however, is far from adorable.

There's just an essence to the winged lemur that Zuko can't trust. Maybe it's the high pitched way the animal chirps. Maybe it's how it watches Zuko with its beady omniscient eyes while he tries to meditate.

Take now for instance.

Sitting on the ground in tailor fashion, Zuko struggles to meditate. The lemur's gaze is practically burning holes in the back of Zuko's skull.

His eye twitches. His teeth and fists clench.

 _Think of something else_ , he wills himself.

He thinks of the elements. Of air, earth, fire and water. He thinks of water gently flowing without a care in the world, like how the ocean does on a calm night, and the ripples in the duckpond back at the palace.

He thinks of how vast it is. How blue it is. How perfectly cerulean Sokka's eyes are.

And that one thought triggers a floodgate of Sokka.

Sokka's fingertips tracing lines in the dirt when he's bored, Sokka's muscles flexing when he spars with Aang, Sokka letting Zuko's name roll of the tip of his tongue.

_Sokka, Sokka, Sokka._

The sound of Sokka's laughter rings in his mind, making Zuko's heart sing in response, and the traitorous organ pounds faster until he can hear it beating in his own ears in a fast rhythym.

His eyes fly wide open and he glares at the demon of a lemur.

The lemur blinks at him like it knows what, or more specifically _who_ , is running through Zuko's brain.

 _Chirp_.

"This is all your fault!" Zuko snaps, and stomps the entire trip to his room.

* * *

_Chirp._

"Get. Off. My. Head."

_Chirp._

"What do you want?!"

_Chirp._

"Yo, jerkbender!"

"Urgh!"

* * *

"Zuko," Aang says, a frown present on his face, brows scrunched together, "You should be a bit nicer to Momo."

Zuko glares at him incredulously.

"Are you kidding? _Momo_ should be nicer to _me_. That thing is a menace!" He gestures towards Momo who is, surprise surprise, starting at Zuko sitting on the log while the lemur sits in front of the fire.

The flames only aid in making Momo appear more like the rejected child of Agni.

 _Chirp_.

"Uh, yeeah. He's real tough," Aang slowly turns back to Zuko, the other boy now flaming at the nostrils. "I think you'd both be happier if you two got along. Like us! Like buddies."

_Chirp._

"Hmph," Is all Zuko has to say on the matter, uninterested and leaning on his hand, arm propped on his knee.

Aang sighs and offers Zuko a small smile. He claps him on the shoulder and walks away. "Try compliments."

Zuko grumbles under his breath because he would rather let Tui and La sink him in the river before he ever complimented the smelly lemur.

 _Chirp_.

He ignores it, choosing instead to pick up a peculiar cobalt stone.

He tosses it and catches it with one hand, watching the flames from the campfire dance in the breeze.

There's a rustling sound as tiny feet scamper closer to him. _Chirp_. _Chirp_.

Zuko tosses the stone back up, but it never comes down.

"Give that back, you cretin," He snaps at the lemur, who is now nibbling on the stone.

The lemur throws it into Zuko's lap. _Chirp_. Zuko picks it up, and stares at lemur contemplatively. 

He throws the stone at Momo, and he catches, nibbles, and throws the rock back to Zuko. Repeat.

Their game of catch continues on for longer than Zuko would admit, with the distance between them widened as they try for more of a challenge.

"You're a weird lemur," Zuko informs Momo. "Who taught you to do that?"

 _Chirp_.

"Fascinating," Zuko says, leaning forward. "Tell me more."

 _Chirp_. _Chirp_.

* * *

"Momo," _Chirp chirp?_ "Catch."

Toss. _Chirp_. 

"Nice one." _Chirp_. "Your ears look exceptionally nice today."

 _Chirp!_ _Chirp_ c _hirp!_

"That was supposed to be a compliment! Hey- I order you to come back here!"

* * *

Up until now, the Gaang had been fine going off of scavenged food. But last night was particularly rainy, and they had woken up to mushy fruits and soggy meat.

Zuko alone had been chosen to get food from a nearby village, but Toph had decided to tag along, claiming to be bored.

Currently, she and Zuko are walking through a crowded market nearby. Zuko's trying his best to politely squeeze through people with Toph's hand held tightly in his grip due to his fear of losing the tiny girl in the crowd.

(He took one look at her and decided to not let go until they make it back safely, but he'll never tell her that.)

"Excuse me," Zuko says to the child throwing a tantrum.

"Pardon me," He says to couple making out.

"This fucking _sucks ass_ ," Toph grumbles as she's dragged between the couple.

"Pardon you," Zuko replies. "Have you tried cursing less?"

"Have you tried cursing more?" She retorts, punching his shoulder. "This was supposed to be fun."

"I'm having a great time," Zuko says rubbing his shoulder with his free hand. He spots the food stand up ahead and starts to head for it.

He picks up his pace, pushing people aside while he apologises. Toph purposely steps on the toes of all the people she passes.

"We should steal something," Toph suggests, and Zuko rolls his eyes at her. "And don't roll your eyes at me, Sugar Plum."

"I'm not rolling my eyes, and we are _not_ stealing. We're doing chores, and then we're- " Zuko's abruptly cut off when Toph runs into someone with an ' _oof!_ '.

Zuko offers an apology to a tall, bearded man, thinking that would the end of it, but the man whips around, shoulders squared in preparation for a fight.

Zuko feels the beginning of anger rise in him when the man casts Toph a death stare.

"Watch where yer fucking going," The man curses, and Zuko sees red.

_How dare he._

"Calm down," Zuko says despite being far from calm himself, his hand not holding Toph's raising on instinct. "She's blind. We don't want any trouble."

"If she can't fucking see, she shouldn't leave the fucking house," He spits on the ground in front of Toph. "Fucking bitch."

" _What did you just call her?!_ " Zuko snaps, lunging at the man, grabbing his collar. "Listen here- "

Before he can burn the man and the ground where he stands, he feels a finger tapping the inside of his wrist. He turns his gaze down and sees Toph smiling at him.

He lets out a breath, lets go off the man's shirt, but doesn't let go of Toph's hand.

"I'm so sorry," Toph says insincerely.

"As you can see, I'm just a blind little girl, and my friend here is helping me walk through the market. My apologies." She adds a sarcastic bow at the end of her sentence, and walks in front of Zuko, leading the way.

"That's it?" Zuko asks in disbelief.

"Yup," Toph says. But Zuko is unsatisfied. He wants to punch the man for daring to even breathe the same air as Toph, let alone talk down to her. 

"Are you serious?!" Zuko yells out and gestures to the man, who is now scoffing at them as they leave. "You're letting that guy get away?!"

"Don't worry." Toph says, grinning.

She turns the corner, leading them right in front of the food stall _(how she did it, Zuko never questioned)_ _,_ greeting the vendor politely and requesting for more food than Zuko thinks they can afford.

"What are you doing?" He asks when the vendor goes to prepare their order. He wants nothing more than to go back the old man, take him for a sky ride on Appa, and throw him off the bison.

"I'm doing chores. Duh," Toph replies, the smile on her face growing more mischievous. "I'm impressed, Sparky. You didn't swear at him once."

"I don't need profanity to take a man down," Zuko says, and the vendor returns with bags full of food. Zuko's fingers immediately fly down to the coin sack in his pocket. "Uh, I don't think we can afford all this."

Toph waves him off, "Of course we can." 

She pulls out a bigger bag, setting it on the table, silver coins spilling out from the table. She turns to Zuko proudly, and he suddenly understands the mischievous smirk on her face.

"Spirits," He breathes out.

"Told you stealing would be fun," She says, taking back the sack of coins when the vendor finishes counting. She tucks it into her pocket, taking Zuko by the hand once more.

"You robbed him," Zuko says, the situation finally dawning on him, and the corners of his mouth forming a grin. "You stole his money."

"I know," Toph says arrogantly. 

"Stealing is fun," Zuko says. 

"I know."

" _You motherfuckers!_ " An angry voice roars.

"Well, shit."

The crowd parts until the man from earlier is revealed on the other side, pointing right at Toph and Zuko. "Give me my fucking money back, cunts, or I'll rip ya' a new one!"

"Suddenly, I'm no longer having fun," Zuko says, and grabs the bags of food, dragging Toph behind him as the man follows close behind, screaming profanities at them.

They run past villagers hand-in-hand, Zuko no longer caring about being polite. They jump over some stalls, accidentally breaking an entire cart full of cabbages in the process. 

"Sorry," Zuko says to the heartbroken cabbage vendor, quickly scooping up a cabbage and flicking a silver coin in his direction. "Keep the change."

"Hold on," Toph stops abruptly, mid-run. "I have an idea."

"You can't afford to earthbend right now- "

"I know."

* * *

"... I don't know how I feel about this."

"C'mon, it's the cherry on top!"

"It's not _necessary-_ "

"Yes it is."

"In what way?"

"In a 'I'm fucking bored and you need to loosen up and stop being a wet blanket' kinda way."

* * *

“Do it,” Toph whispers as the angry man runs in the center of the village square, whipping his head in all directions in hopes of catching sight of them.

They're now standing on a rooftop, laying on their stomachs as they watch the man demand answers from the poor innocent villagers.

“Now? Are you sure?” Zuko asks.

“Do it. I believe in you.”

Zuko inhales a nervous, shaky breathe before standing up and cupping his hands over his mouth to amplify his voice.

“Hey, old man!” He shouts, catching the attention of everyone within earshot.

Toph stands as well, holding up the bag of silver coins and dangling it high in the air like she's flaunting her championship belt. 

“Looking for this?" Top calls out and smirks.

"Fuck you!" The man shouts back and runs towards them, shaking his fist.

“No you! Don't mess with us, you...” Zuko hesitates.

“ _You got this,"_ Toph mutters the encouragement, nudging his elbow with her own. If she wasn't by his side, he isn’t sure he’d be able to do this.

 _I got this_. 

“It’s ours now, you…” Zuko turns to Toph for extra reassurance and, perhaps feeling how fast his heart is racing, she nods and smiles at him gentler than he's ever seen.

Zuko inhales through his nose, exhales through his mouth, glares straight in the man’s eyes and says;

“ _Bitch._ ”

Toph folds in half with laughter, pointing at the man, and a sense of pride flows through Zuko, and he holds his head up higher.

"Oooh, shit! _Buurrn_!" She calls out.

“Once I get my hands on you fuckers, you’ll be sorry yer mother ever gave birth t' ya'!”

“Run for your life!” Toph yells dramatically when the man begins climbing up the building, and she grabs Zuko by the wrist and leaping off the roof.

Zuko knows there’s no real fear behind her words, and yells out another “Bitch!” over his shoulder, if only for the selfish reason of hearing Toph’s laugh again.

"Pardon _you_ ," Toph says.

* * *

"Good morning, His Royal Bitchiness,"

"Good morning..."

" _C'moon_. You know you want to."

"Morning, Her Blind Bitchiness."

"..."

"Shit, I'm sorry, was that too much?"

"..."

"Toph?" A loud, boisterous laugh.

"'The Blind Bitch', huh? Remind me to use it in my next match." Two laughs fill the hallways of the Western Air Temple.

* * *

When he came up with the Friendship Plan, Zuko knew that Katara was going to be his biggest challenge.

She is the last person Zuko expects to come around, but now that he can proudly say he's befriended most of the Gaang, he actually _wants_ Katara to consider him as a friend.

He's standing behind her as she washes the laundry in the stream, a whole speech prepared and full of nerves.

"Katara," He calls, and she jumps, startled, before turning to him. "Hi, Katara, buddy. Katara, hi."

She blinks, holding wet laundry and soap in her hands, being careful in keeping them away from her own dry clothes.

"Hi, Zuko?" She says politely. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Zuko starts, and then pauses, his voice caught in his throat.

He tries to remember the topics Aang told him were good conversation starters, like water bending, or papayas, or even just asking how she's doing.

Unfortunately for him, his mind flits between the kind offer of _"I'd like to help with the laundry"_ and the embarrassing confession of _"I think I like your brother."_

Even more unfortunate, he can see Katara beginning to get annoyed, and his anxiety pushes him to say;

"I'd like to do your brother."

Katara drops the laundry she's holding and they fall unceremoniously to the dirt below, wasting her efforts in washing them.

"You- " She begins to stutter, but Zuko is already running back to the Air Temple to hide under his blanket of shame.

* * *

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

* * *

In an effort to make it up to Katara, Zuko decides to make her favourite lunch.

The plan goes along seamlessly, and her face lights up when Zuko starts to pass the food around. That is, until, Zuko hands Sokka a plate and their hands brush.

Twin blushes bloom across both their cheeks at the contact.

Katara chokes on her food.

* * *

"Alright, what the fuck did you do this time?"

"Who said it was my fault?!"

"You fucked up, didn't you."

"I fucked up."

* * *

"Katara," Zuko says when she exits the temple. She signals for him to stop and he pauses.

"It's fine, Zuko, really."

"Still. I'm sorry."

"I know," She says, her mouth in a thin line as she blushes red and purposely turns away from him.

In silence, they both watch Appa wave a stick around in his mouth while Momo tries to grab it from him. 

"Is there any way I can make it up to you?" Zuko asks when Momo successfully snatches the stick. Appa pokes out his tongue and gently taps the lemur on the forehead.

"Just," Katara pinches the bridge of her nose. "Let's agree to never talk about it again. Ever. For both of our sake."

"Deal," Zuko easily agrees.

He sticks out his hand to shake on it, but is taken aback when she holds out her pinky. Assuming that this is a norm for the water tribe, Zuko wraps his hand around her finger and she sighs.

"Is this some sort of challenge?" Zuko asks.

"It's a pinky promise," She says slowly, like Zuko will understand. He doesn't, so she continues. "It originated from the Fire Nation."

"So it's a challenge?"

"No, it's just a promise. Friends do it all the time," Katara explains, a hand on her hip. "You've never made one before?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I don't make promises. Or friends," Zuko says, looking up from her pinky to her incredulous stare. "How does it work?"

"Friends or promises?"

"Both, I guess."

"You need to make a promise," Katara says with a wiggle of her pinky. "Start with the words, 'I promise' and go from there."

Zuko furrows his brows in thought, before coming up with, "I promise to not say that I'd like to do your brother?"

"Great," Katara says strangely, like it's the worst promise she's ever heard. "And I promise to never ask about it. Now we shake on it."

"What happens if I break the promise?" Zuko asks before they continue on the weird promise ritual.

"Then your pinky gets burnt off," She says, and Zuko takes a step back. "We can do that part symbolically. Well?"

Zuko steps forward and grabs Katara's pinkie finger with his hand and shakes it.

She sighs once more, but smiles at him nevertheless. He smiles back.

"..."

"..."

"... When do I let go?"

* * *

"The fuck are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just asked if you could spar with me later."

"I know. I'm promising that I'll do it."

"Flameo, Sifu Buddy! Wow, what a cool way of pinky promising! Can you promise to spar with me, too?"

"Sure thing, pal."

"Awesome!"

"Can I have my finger back now?"

* * *

"Hey."

Zuko opens his eyes, blinking away the sleep, to find Sokka looming over him, looking unsure of himself. "Katara told me to take the night watch with you. If that's alright with you."

He sits up and brushes the grass off of his arms, "Sure."

Zuko rubs his right eye. He gestures for Sokka to join him, sits beside him, mirroring his position with one knee up.

"Doesn't seem like you were doing much watching. Good thing I'm here," Sokka chuckles as he plucks a strand of grass from the back of Zuko's head.

At the feeling of Sokka's fingers at his nape, Zuko involuntarily leans into his warmth and shivers. 

"Too cold for the jerkbender?" Sokka asks, mistaking his shiver for something else.

"You could say that," Zuko mumbles.

"I need to tell you something," Sokka says at the same time Zuko asks. "Are we friends?"

"Of course we are?" Is Sokka's reply. "Have I ever made you feel like we weren't?" He asks cautiously.

Zuko shakes his head.

"No. Just wondering," He says, leaning back down on the ground, closing his eyes once more.

"Don't fall asleep, idiot. We're on watch," Sokka chides, repeatedly poking him on the cheek. "And I never go to tell you what I wanted to say."

Zuko stops the poking by grabbing the offending finger and holding it firmly, but with a sort of gentleness that makes Sokka's heart flutter.

"Gonna make a promise?" Sokka teases, having heard all the stories from Toph and Aang.

"Mhmm."

"I'm waiting, then," Sokka says, trying to poke the other boy again, causing Zuko to hit his own cheek.

Humming lowly, Zuko brings Sokka's finger to his chest, holding it close to his heart. He wraps his other hand around Sokka's wrist, tapping lightly in time with his heartbeat.

"I promise to listen to whatever you have to say," Zuko says tiredly.

"Okay," Sokka says, mesmerized by the rise and fall of Zuko's chest.

"Okay," Zuko reaffirms.

Sokka stares at where Zuko has a hold on him, and uses his free hand to grab the pointer finger that had been tapping at his wrist.

He watches for a few more moments, and then;

"I think I'm falling in love with you." He whispers.

Silence.

"Got nothing to say?" He asks, peering up at the boy's face, fearing that his confession has scared him off.

Zuko lies with Sokka's hands in his grip, lips slightly parted as he softly snores.

"Save it for later, then," Sokka says with a bitter smile on his face.

* * *

The vendor stares in awe at the group standing before his stall.

He isn't quite sure what has led to this scenario. One moment, they were calming asking for some food, and the next they're in utter chaos.

One of the boys from the group is having what appears to be a screaming match with a girl much _much_ shorter than him, fighting over who gets the next 'life-changing adventure'; whatever _that_ means.

"Alright, buddies, let's just calm down- " A boy steps up, but the girl beside him holds him back.

"They'll be fine," She says.

"I'm ready to pay," A voice says. The vendor shakes his head and smiles at the customer.

"That'll be six silver coins, sir," He says in his most polite tone.

The boy nods and holds out his hand, "Momo!"

Out of nowhere, a winged-lemur leaps onto the the stall table, dropping a bag half it's size down. _Chirp chirp._ It tosses six silver coins on the table, and stares at the vendor with beady eyes until he takes them.

"T-thanks?" He says, sliding over the bags of food to the boy, keeping a watchful gaze on the lemur.

"Sorry about Momo," The boy says apologetically, before turning to the group and yelling, " _Let's fucking go!_ "

The vendor watches as the two screaming kids shrug and start joking with each other, and the lemur runs up to one of the boys and hops on his shoulder, coin bag in mouth.

The two girls hold each other's hands and start chatting with the other boy, but one boy stays back and looks at the customer at his stall.

"Hurry up, Prince Jerkface."

His customer just laughs.

"They're pretty weird, huh?" The boy says with a grin, seeing the astonished look on the vendor's face.

"It's just a thing my friends do," He continues, grabbing the bags of food. "You wouldn't understand."

And with that, the boy walks away, groceries in hand and his friends by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> zuko,,, my son,, i love with my whole heart.


End file.
